Currency
GBP/USD exchange-rate chart
GBP/USD quotes the pound sterling, issued by the Bank of England, against the US dollar, issued by the Federal Reserve. Sterling is the base currency, so the number shown is how many dollars one pound buys.
Traders call this pair 'cable', after the transatlantic telegraph cable once used to relay London–New York rates. It's an interbank spot mid-market quote here, not a retail or payment rate.
GBP / USD chart
FX:GBPUSDCharts by TradingView. To switch instrument, use the market charts hub or the related charts below. Each one has its own page.
At a glance
| Full name | British Pound Sterling / United States Dollar |
|---|---|
| Pair code | GBP/USD |
| TradingView symbol | FX:GBPUSD |
| Instrument type | Spot FX interbank quote (mid-market) |
| Base currency | Pound sterling (GBP) |
| Quote currency | US dollar (USD) |
| What one unit represents | How many US dollars one pound buys |
| Market schedule | Roughly 24 hours a day, Sunday evening to Friday evening UTC; closed at weekends |
| Central banks involved | Bank of England; US Federal Reserve |
| Liquidity/session notes | Historic name 'cable'; most liquid during London trading hours and the London–New York overlap |
| Data delay note | Chart data may be delayed; this page is not a dealing or payment rate |
What is GBP / USD?
The Bank of England sets the Bank Rate and runs UK monetary policy independently of the eurozone. The Federal Reserve does the same for the US and issues the dollar, the world's dominant reserve currency.
GBP/USD is one of the oldest currency pairs, reflecting London's role as a financial centre. Its nickname 'cable' comes from the telegraph link once used to send London–New York quotes between dealers.
How to read this chart
A rising line means sterling is strengthening: one pound buys more dollars. A falling line means the reverse.
A UK exporter invoicing in dollars gets fewer pounds per dollar of revenue when GBP/USD rises, and more when it falls. As with every pair here, the chart is a mid-market reference rate, not the rate applied to an actual payment.
What moves it?
- Bank of England policy
- Bank Rate decisions and the Monetary Policy Committee's guidance on future moves are the central driver of sterling.
- UK fiscal policy
- Government borrowing plans, the Budget, and the gilt market's reaction can move sterling on their own, separate from rate expectations.
- US Federal Reserve policy
- Fed decisions and US data affect the dollar side of the pair, just as UK data affects the sterling side.
- UK inflation and labour market data
- CPI and wage growth releases shape expectations for the Bank of England's next move.
- Risk sentiment and dollar demand
- Broad shifts into or out of the dollar as a safe-haven currency can move GBP/USD without any UK news at all.
Why people watch it
UK businesses trading with US counterparties use GBP/USD to cost dollar hedges, price contracts, and gauge the translation effect of US subsidiaries or dollar debt in consolidated accounts.
Sterling reacts more to UK-specific fiscal and political news than some other major currencies, so businesses with UK exposure tend to track GBP/USD alongside domestic UK indicators.
GBP/USD vs EUR/GBP
GBP/USD shows sterling against the dollar. EUR/GBP shows the euro against sterling directly, with no dollar in between. Comparing the two separates UK-specific sterling moves from broad dollar strength or weakness.
UK businesses trading with both the US and the eurozone get a fuller read on sterling by tracking both pairs together.
Frequently asked questions
Why is GBP/USD called 'cable'?
The name comes from the transatlantic telegraph cable historically used to relay London and New York exchange rate quotes between dealers.
Why is my bank's rate different from the GBP/USD chart?
The chart is an interbank mid-market rate. Banks and payment providers add a margin on top, so the rate for an actual transfer will differ.
What does a weaker pound mean for a UK importer?
A weaker pound (falling GBP/USD) means more sterling is needed to buy the same dollar-invoiced goods, raising import costs, all else equal.
Does UK fiscal policy affect GBP/USD?
Yes. Government borrowing announcements and the gilt market's reaction can move sterling independently of Bank of England rate decisions.
Related market charts
Investment calculators
- Investment Growth Calculator
See what a lump sum plus monthly contributions turns into over time.
- ROI and CAGR Calculator
Turn a start and end value into total return and an annual growth rate.
- Drawdown Recovery Calculator
A 50% fall needs a 100% gain to get back. Check the maths on yours.
- Investment Comparison Calculator
Put two options on identical assumptions and see the gap in money.
Sources
- Bank of England statistical database
- Federal Reserve H.10 foreign exchange rates
- BIS triennial FX survey
Written and maintained by the StandardsDesk editorial team. Last reviewed 2026-08-06. The text here is deliberately evergreen: it is not rewritten every time the market moves, and no price or level is quoted anywhere outside the chart itself.
Trading through a company?
Brokers usually will not open or keep a corporate trading account without a Legal Entity Identifier. Checking whether yours needs one takes a couple of minutes.